Combination wrapper protector and sling hanger for spooled merchandise



Aug. 15, 1961 s. OSTERMAN 2,996,179

COMBINATION WRAPPER PROTECTOR AND SLING HANGER FOR SFOOLED MERCHANDISEFiled Sept. 9, 1960 W% FIG.2

IN V EN TOR. SAMVEZ QJ'IEPMAA United States Patent COMBINATION WRAPPERPROTECTOR AND SLING HANGER FOR SPOOIJED MER- CHANDISE Samuel Osterman,New York, N.Y., assignor to Bow Solder Products -'Co., Inc., New York,N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 9, 1960, Ser. No. 55,047 6Claims. (Cl. 20659) This invention relates to packaging and moreparticularly is directed to an improved wrapped or enclosure for strandmaterial such as resin or acid core solder, insulated and bare wire usedin electrical and electronic work, plastic tubing and the like, whichare mounted on spools or reels for shipment to and storage by theretailer and including means for suspending each package from aself-service display rack.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve packaging ofspool or reel mounted strand material of the character described, whichshall include a combination Sling hanger for the package and wrapperprotector for the strand material mounted on the spool, which slinghanger shall be particularly adaptable to modern self-servicemerchandising means and methods utilizing display racks havinghorizontally extending carrier hooks from each of which a plurality ofpackages may be removably suspended, which combination sling hanger andWrapper protector shall be of simplified construction provided as aprecut and folded preformed blank, which blank shall be easily appliedto a properly wound spool of strand material and having a tap meansreceiving an eyelet fastener serving a dual function of retaining theblank as a properly fitting wrapper about the strand material and as ameans for suspending the package from a display rack carrier hook, whichpackage shall be easy to handle, attractive in appearance, practical andefficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists of features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will beexemplified in the constructions hereinafter disclosed, the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which various illustrative embodiments ofthe invention are shown:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a blank precut and folded to form acombination wrapper and sling hanger embodying the invention prior tothe application thereof to a filled spool of strand material.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a complete package unit embodying theinvention comprising a spool of strand material with the blank shown inFIG. 1 wrapped thereabout and secured ready for shipping or display.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of blankembodying the invention precut and folded in a manner similar to thatshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 3 but showing a completepackage unit utilizing the modified blank shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken FIG. 6, and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the tab portion of the wrappershown in FIG. 7.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 generally denotes a completepackage unit constructed to embody the in along line 7-7 in PatentedAug. 15, 1961 hanger 13 encircling spool 11 and enclosing strandmaterial 12.

Spool 11 may be of any conventional construction here shown as having acylindrical or tubular core 11a terminating at opposite ends inretaining disks or end walls 11b. A measured length of strand material12 is wound upon core 11a so that an outer layer of windings 12athelreof neatly and uniformly extends between end walls 11 Combinationwrapper and sling hanger 13 may be provided as blank 14 shown in FIGS. 1and 2 as precut from suitable pliable material having semi-rigidproperties sufficient to retain a fold, for example, such as atransparent sheet of cellulose acetate, to form an elongated strip orbody portion 14a having a predetermined width equal to the spacingbetween spool end walls 11b. Each opposite end of body portion 14a isdefined by a fold line 14b, each of which provides opposite end tabs.140. Each of the latter may have an opening 14d punched thereinpreferably along a longitudinal midline of blank 14 and positioned toregister with each other when body portion 14a is wrapped around strandmaterial outer layer 1211 on spool 11 in the manner hereinafter morefully described. As seen in FIG. 2 end tabs are both folded along foldlines 140. to extend from the same side of blank 14, that is, on theside which will be exteriorly or outwardly facing when blank 14 isproperly mounted on spool 11. Likewise, body portion 14a is proportionedlengthwise to bring fold lines 14b substantially into abutment when theformer is tightly wrapped around the strand material outer layer 12a onspool 11 as is clearly seen from FIG. 4. A suitable eyelet type rivet 15extending through aligned openings 1411 may serve to retain blank 14 inposition completing combination wrapper and sling hanger 13.

Package unit 10 embodying the invention is easily assembled for shipmentto and display by retailers. After providing spool 11 having strandmaterial 12 measured and properly wound on core 11a so that outer layer12a extends substantially uniformly and neatly between end walls 11b andproviding blank 14 precut and preformed a shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, blank14 is first wrapped around strand material 12 and end tabs 14c broughttogether with openings 14d in register, then eyelet 15 is inserted intoopennigs 14d and secured therein by conventional punch means in the wellunderstood manner forming the combination wrapper and sling hanger 13and completing package unit 10.

The practical utility of the invention will now be apparent. Completepackage unit 10 with combination wrapper and sling hanger 13 serves asan improved means for shipping and retaining strand material inrelatively small quantities, particularly such material as is used byelectronic and hi-fi amateur enthusiasts, for example, resin coresolder, plastic tubing used for insulation sometimes known as spaghetti,insulated and bare wire of various gauges, all of which areconventionally supplied on spools. Thus, combination wrapper and slinghanger 13 has been found, when applied to spool 11 as shown in FIGS. 3and 4 so that body portion 14a snugly fits between end walls 111; andhugs outer layer 12a of material 12, to satisfactorily protect strandmaterial 12 from dust and dirt during shipping and while being displayedin the retail store. Package unit 10 may be boxed for shipping Withoutfurther wrapping and when arriving at the retailers may be removed fromthe shipping carton and easily placed on display and self-service racks(not shown) provided with conventional hook means by inserting suchhooks through eyelet 15. Package unit 10 with wrapper 13 may be alsodisplayed in any desired manner, wrapper 13 always serving as aprotection for strand material 12 and when transparent rendering clearvisibility therethrough, while tabs 140 will readily fold out of the wayand in no manner cause any interference.

Package unit 10 may be readily opened by separating the free edgeportion of each tab 140 from each other and pulling them apart to tearthe tabs at the eyelet 15.

In practicing the invention, acetate sheet material varying in thicknessfrom .0075 to .015 of an inch may be used to form the wrapper and slinghanger. Acetate sheet material of .010 inch thickness or heavier hasbeen found to render satisfactory results when used in blank 14 and aproper closure obtained with fold lines 14b in substantial abutment whenopenings 14d is centered approximately inch from fold lines 14b. Tabs14c may be provided in any desired shape here shown as having simplearcuate free edges 14e.

Where thinner acetate sheet material is desired which is more pliablethan that of .010 to .015 inch thickness and in order to maintain asuitable closure between opposite ends of a blank utilizing sheet stockof .0075 inch thickness, a modified form of blank 24 is shown in FIGS.5, 6, 7 and 8. As seen in FIG. 5, blank 24 has a body portion 24adefined by fold lines 24b on opposite ends thereof providing end tabs24c and 24d. Tab 24c is shown in FIGS. and 8 as being double the lengthof tab 24d and reverse folded in half along fold line 24a providing tabsections 24 and 24g, section 24f being located between fold lines 2412and 24a. Tab 24d and tab sections 24] and 24g are each formed withopening 2411 which are located in registered alignment when blank 24 isproperly mounted on spool 11 to receive eyelet 25 therethrough.

Combination wrapper and sling hanger 23 will function in the same manneras hereinbefore described with reference to hanger 13, except that inassembling hanger 23, tab 24d is positioned between folded tab sections24 and 24g, openings 2411 then brought into register and eyelet 25secured therethrough as is clear from FIG. 8.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an improved package having acombination wrapper protector and sling hanger for spooled merchandisein which the several objects of this invention are achieved and whichare well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forthit is to beunderstood that all matters herein set forth, or shown in theaccompanying drawing are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A package of the character described comprising a spool havingopposite end walls and an elongated core extending therebetween, astrand material wound upon said core having an outer layer of windingsextending substantially between said end walls, a combination wrapperand sling hanger of semi-rigid pliable sheet material precut andtransversely folded to form a central body portion terminating inopposite end tabs, said body portion snugly encircling said outer layerof windings and abutting said end walls as a cover therefor, said endtabs extending outwardly from said body portion substantially radiallyof said core and lying in substantial register against each other, andan eyelet fastener securing said end tabs together and retaining saidbody portion in said encircling position.

2. The package defined in claim 1 in which said semirigid pliable sheetmaterial is cellulose acetate having a thickness between .010 and .015of an inch.

3. The package defined in claim 1 in which said eyelet is centeredapproximately of an inch from the fold line.

4. The package defined in claim 1 in which a first of said tabs issubstantially twice the length of the other tab and folded over to formtwo sections, said other tab being positioned between the sections ofsaid first tab to form a three-layer structure with said eyelet fastenerextending through said structure.

5. In a spool package of the character described, said spool havingopposite end walls and an elongated core extending therebetween and astrand material wound upon said core having an outer layer of windingsextending substantially between said end walls, a combination wrapperand sling hanger provided as a precut blank of cellulose acetate havingan elongated body portion of a width equal to the spacing between thespool end walls, opposite ends of said body portion having pre-foldedend tabs, said body portion being of proper length to snugly encirclesaid outer layer of windings and bring the folded tabs in face to faceabutment relation extending outwardly at an angle to said body portion,said tabs being formed with registering openings for receiving asecuring eyelet.

6. In the spool package defined in claim 5, a first of said tabs beingsubstantially twice the length of the other tab and prefolded to formtwo sections, said other tab being constructed and arranged to bepositioned between the folded sections of said first tab, said first tabhaving two openings, one in each section for registering with saidopening formed in the other tab for receiving said eyelet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,682,115 Cohn Aug. 28, 1928 2,397,087 Camras Mar. 26, 1946 2,850,160Siebel et al. Sept. 2, 1958

